Chivalry
by Mase992
Summary: “Some say that the age of chivalry is past, that the spirit of romance is dead. The age of chivalry is never past, so long as there is a wrong left unredressed on earth.” Charles Kingsley
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"I heard from Uli that you are leaving for Hyrule again. Is it true? Link?"

Blue orbs stared back at the source of the question: green eyes, sandy, short-neck-leveled-hair, rounded ears, peach lips, pale skin, female, a frown...

"Ilia..." breathed the blonde male. He rested his arms next to his waist, a scrub held tightly on his right hand and a dark triangle tattooed on his left. The horse that stood proudly behind him shook its head instinctually, removing the excessive water from its white mane.

"It seems you _are_ going again," whispered the young woman. She clasped her hands together and brought them to her chest, followed by a tired sigh that came from her petite mouth.

The male rubbed his neck and dared not look at her directly in the eye. He stared down at the clear water cooling his bare feet and soaking her sandals. She didn't seem to care to be getting wet.

"Ilia..." he tried again.

"Why?!" she choked, forcing down tears, "I don't understand why you have to leave!" Now it was her turn to look down. "You said that the reconstruction of the Castle had been achieved already and things were going smoothly at Castle Town. Even Rusl said that the Princess was taking care of things without much trouble. There's no rioting..." she clenched her hands tighter.

The male sighed again.

"It's not as easy as you think. After the disaster that struck the Castle last year things got quite messed up out there..."

She looked up at him, with anger, "Then why do you lie?! Why do you say all's fine when it clearly isn't?! And why do _you_ have to go?! Everything here in Ordon is fine, Hyrule is slowly getting reconstructed, why do you care about _beyond_?"

She stared back at her cold, wet feet. He could see her shoulders were trembling.

"Don't cry..." he whispered before gently hugging her shaking body. He placed his strong arms around her thin figure, pressing her to him. She sobbed against his chest.

"I promise I'll come back. I did last time. I'll do it again." He whispered in her ear.

"Come back home..." she sobbed, holding tighter unto his shirt.

"Back to our home," he replied smiling.


	2. Ashei

**(A/N):** In this chapter, I used some Hylian words so if you don't know what they mean, here they are:

**Piántile-** Father (Gender specific, masculine)

**piante-** Parent (Gender neutral)

**Ashei **

It was cold.

The powerful gales felt like razor against her frail skin. Invisible knives dug through her white cheeks and buried deeply unto her pained knuckles and numb legs. Her lips, which were once as red as apples, quickly turned blue because of the low temperatures that now surrounded her. She wasn't used to so much cold, she didn't need to back at Castle Town; back at home...

"This isn't home."

She grew pale and was prompt to sicknesses during the first months up there.

During those times of flu and warm rabbit soup, she would often crawl from her cozy haven made of pillows and animal skins to peek out the snow-covered window and see her father training outside. He was busy most of the day either cutting wood, removing the snow from the cabin's door, getting something for dinner (tiny boars or rabbits), or training with his sword.

She enjoyed watching him during his time of training. She loved to see him covered on that thick, silver armor. It seemed elegant and quite impassable. A breastplate detailed with ornaments and inscriptions depicting the Holy Relic and Hyrule's symbol: the Phoenix, covered the wearer's chest. And rough chain mail embraced uncovered limbs and his torso, giving extra protection in case the first barrier was trespassed by a halberd or some other weapon.

Her father always carried a thin rapier next to his waist. The blade was long and dangerous, even if didn't look like it. It could cut down trees easily and she instantly imagined the same effect with skin... or bone. She stared intrigued through the window. Every day, she studied his moves: how he elegantly took the sword from out its sheath as it gave out a hissing sound that echoed all around the zone. That particular ring the sword made once it was unsheathed made her spine chill. Somehow, it was an extremely pleasant thing to hear. To her, it seemed almost like a voice, a female's voice crying out about freedom. So she kept watching him interested.

Yet it was not him to whom she was paying attention. At times, she found herself staring intently at the sword. How it cut the harsh wind with naught but one simple swing. Vertical, horizontal, a jump slice, a stab...

"Woah..."

Her father swung the blade with incredible speed, moving his body in the same direction the weapon was headed. Then he stopped swinging and positioned the blade in a vertical manner, next to his face. He stood his ground. His eyes studied the area carefully and the sword remained in its same position. He bent his knees slightly, as if he was crouching, preparing himself. She held her breath, waiting. What kind of technique was that? Was it new? Certainly, she hadn't seen it before. Then, he struck. Swinging horizontally with the rapier to his left, he quickly threw his feet forward and sprung toward the ground. Once he landed on the white cushion he landed on his side and rolled his body, circling where he once stood, and then leapt back up, sword ready, and swung at his invisible foes. He continued fighting the wind afterwards.

She stared amazed. Her breath getting stuck on the glass once she let out the air she had kept bottled up before her father had done such an astounding move. How could he do that? That way of controlling the blade and your own body seemed something so simple and yet, she could tell by her father's tired eyes that it was not as easy as it seemed.

She coughed. A battle cry reached her ears again. She looked back through the window and saw her father still battling a mysterious and cold enemy only he could see. He swung his word in different directions (yet never aimlessly). He stopped and took some distance from the unseen rival. Then he parried a blow, snow fluttering around him, and with a final cry for victory, he dug the rapier unto the bark of a tree.

_´He won.´_ She assumed satisfied.

Quickly, and without even taking something to cover her sick body with, the young girl slipped out of her bed and reached for the cabin's door. The warm atmosphere that had been created by the fireplace's heat was soon interrupted when she opened the door. She was badly welcomed by the eternal winter from outside. Her voice grew rough and low as snow hastily covered her sick body without mercy for a child her age.

"Piántile!" She panted with excitement, her heart bumping quickly against her small chest.

The bearded swordsman turned instantly at the sound of her muffled voice escaping her blue lips. His exhausted brow changed to a frown as soon as he spotted her outside wearing no cape or anything to cover her exposed shoulders.

"Ashei!" he hollered across the endless whisper of the blizzard, "What are you doing out here?! You're sick!"

He easily removed the sword from the tree trunk, placed it back inside its sheath, and trudged through snow until he stood before the raven-haired child. He removed his fur cape and placed it around his daughter's shivering skin. She looked at the warm cape and then stared directly at her piante's brown, concerned eyes.

"Go back inside. I'll prepare you some soup in a moment," he said, gesturing to the door with one finger.

She looked down shamefully, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to distract you from your training..."

"But you did."

Her next sentence got stuck in her throat. She held the cape closer to her shivering body. If her legs continued shaking so hard, then they wouldn't be able to handle her weight any longer.

"Your cold will worsen if you don't rest. Go back inside." He repeated.

"Piántile..." she looked back up, determined. "Teach me how to wield your sword!" she almost choked, afraid that he may laugh at her request.

Certainly, there were no female soldiers in the Royal Guard. Her father had told her that, and if he hadn't mentioned it, she would have noticed eventually anyway. Back at Castle Town, whenever there came new recruits to train with her father, they were always males.

"That's a ridiculous petition." He barked (as she had expected him to do). "I haven't trained a woman in all my years as High Commander of the Royal Guard."

Ashei stared at him straight in the eye with her own brown pools. She quivered uncontrollably but not because of the cold. She was nervous, scared, terrified that he might neglect her wish to become a swordsman like him just because she was a woman. That just seemed so unfair to her.

"But Piántile...!" she protested but was hushed.

"I have never trained a woman and will never train one. Knowing the same techniques and commanding a sword with skill will never make her equal to a man. Women don't fight."

She said no more.

"...Yet," he placed a big hand on Ashei's shoulder, "I can't train you as my daughter, but I can train you as my son."


	3. Auru and Rusl

**(A/N):** In this chapter, I used some Hylian words and common expressions so if you don't know what they mean, here they are: 

**kari-** wow

**Bagu vïnshas ont Hirule- **I live in Hyrule

**Aktajhá- **"To hell" (insult)

**Rusl da•ia Ordon- **"Rusl from Ordon"

**darshe-** Ass (insult; vulgar way t cal the buttocks)

**Fallo'kano•i-** The term "Kano•i" is used when talking to an unknown person or someone that one highly respects (mostly by social status). "Fallo" is just the name of the person referred to.

**Zelda'maji-** The term "maji" is used when adressing a person of royalty but his/her status is lower than the King or Queen. Like a prince/princess. "Zelda" is (obviously )just the name of the person referred to.

Disclaimer: The characters mentioned here (except for Fallo) belong to Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto and by no means, I dare claim them as mine.

**Auru**

"His Highness wishes to speak with you sir!" Called a man covered in glimmering armor and whose face a silver mask protected. His tiny eyes could hardly be seen thanks to the excessive cover over his skin. They peered through two small holes on the mask's upper surface and studied the room the guard was in. His eyes darted across brick walls, other men wearing the same metal armors carrying huge shields and spears. These guys were chanting, joking around while carrying mugs dripping with ale. One could hardly believe that those men served as the Royal Family's soldiers and that they actually served and risked their lives for the commoners and noblemen who dwelled in Hyrule (specifically Castle Town). Looking at them in that deprived state, one could only pity their immaturity for falling under the clutches of alcohol and still be held higher above others just for sullying their title of servers of the ones of the blessed blood. The tiny-eyed guard scorned at another uniformed man. He was short, with not very long and flexible legs and arms, had a belly, and he was dancing on top of a wooden table surrounded by more soldiers or frequent clients of the bar. He chanted merrily as he sprung around the surface of the table, spilling cups of whine or forcing drinkers' faces against their beers. All the while he kicked his tiny feet in a "can-can" mode as he flailed his tiny arms around, arousing the excitement of the crowd that cheered and encouraged his dancing by clapping. They were too drunk to notice how stupid and childish they actually looked; men or women, soldiers or commoners. They looked so pathetic (and fun non-the less).

"All the way o'er the Provinces the Gods behest their Power upon! (kari!)" he chanted, taking a huge vase full of stinking beer and raised it above his head, "Across the hidden Skies of yore where their Wisdom poured like gold! (or beer!)" Another man joined the chubby guard on the table and arm-in-arm, they danced in circles. "Where the seed of their Courage sprung to life like wheat during Summer time! I'll tell ya traveler—" the guard stretched one arm toward the jeering crowd and they doubtless responded: "Bagu vïnshas ont Hirule!"

Everyone attending the little dance laughed and continued cheering for the singing, chubby guard. The tiny-eyed man shook his head ashamed that fellow was his partner in the work of helping the current peace in Hyrule to remain. And so, he dared not stay any longer to watch him sing more of those Hylian popular songs which would consequently lead him (taking in notice him being in that drunken state) to singing some more obscure and obscene melodies. Seriously! That guy was just one example of how many guards had fallen even lower than the thieves. No wonder the people believed on the rumors about the soldiers having a bad reputation. Rumors about them being weak, powerless, and cowardly. The tiny-eyed soldier huffed, "Aktajhá!

Sullying my role as defender of the Royal Family just for the sake of pleasure and entertainment! The lowly bastards...!"

"Now, if only we had more soldiers with that same mentality of yours son, then the skies would truly shine a golden color..."

The guard turned shocked toward the source of the voice, surprised that someone had answered him. He blushed slightly after noticing he had said those words out loud.

"I'm sorry you had to hear my ramblings sir..." he murmured through his emotionless mask.

An elderly man, well past his 50's bore a huge grin as his dark eyes peered through the cold surface of the tiny-eyed soldier and somehow, he could see his embarrassed blush.

"Ramblings be the chanting of that soldier," he said directing his eyes toward the singing crowd, "Now, your thoughts of what right and knowing your place is not rambling, but taking responsibility of your title."

The guard smiled, holding his spear proudly by his side and placing an arm over his waist, "As a protector of law and order I just can't abide to withstand that raucus, sir."

"It best be that way," mumbled the old man, nodding as he brought a mug of bitter ale to his lips.

"You know... Betcha ten rupees you forgot I was still here..."came a second, chuckling voice from across the table where the elderly male was sitting.

"Rusl da•ia Ordon..." greeted the guard staring down at the other, oddly clothed man, "What brings you to Castle Town?" 

A blond fellow stared back at the tin-man before him and caressed his soft, dark beard. His blue eyes quickly inspected the armor of the guard as his body language seemed to tell him volumes of the way this shielded man had been educated and how he had meant to say: "Get this darshe out of my way and let me go on with my work and call Master Auru to the Castle where he's needed, instead of him being in this poorly constructed bar full of bohemians and other lowly scum such as you Rusl da•ia Ordon."

Ah... the guard seemed clever enough to know the difference of status between a highly ranked soldier such and peasant from the Southern Province of Ordona. The most lowly of countrymen as that guy might consider them Ordonians. Such racism... So much for "law and order" and "equality". The Royal Family was doing great in choosing its envoys.

"I applaud our King for selecting you as Commander of his troops Fallo'kano•i."

The third man, who sat across Rusl's place (and responded to the name Auru) chuckled slightly at his friend's statement. He knew the blond too well to understand the hidden message between his words.

"Rusl let's be kind to our Commander here." He turned his huge, dark eyes to Fallo, "What is it that brings you here? To this old coot's side? More work is it?"

Fallo, barely nodded as he didn't take his gaze off Rusl as the Ordonian drank some whine calmly and happy about his own joke, which hopefully, the tin-man didn't get. He seriously hoped not. Being sarcastic was a feature of him (having a pupil back at Ordon and all) and he was sure Fallo was starting to take notice of that.

The guard finally broke the silence (well, not real silence since the racket of the drunken people next to them continued), "The Princess requires your aid in spell casting, sir. She desires for your presence immediately."

Auru nodded nonchalantly as he took another sip of his drink, " So Zelda'maji it is..." he looked at the remaining, golden liquid inside his glass and sighed, "She grows so quickly and her Wisdom spurs wildly too... I doubt she needs any more tutoring from my part. And besides, didn't she have those ghastly Sages to teach her magics already?"

Fallo stood straighter, "Sir, the Princess seems to prefer your lessons. She mentioned them not being—"

"Boring?"

"You couldn't have make it any clearer soldier," chuckled Rusl through his whine.

"Well the point is that you must go to the Princess immediately!" scooted the guard obviously irked by the constant interruptions.

"Hmmm... Fallo, now I'm asking you to deliver a message from me to the Princess."

Fallo's muscles stiffened as soon as he heard that but he nodded non-the less, "Whatever is it you want me to tell her, sir?"

"Tell her that this old coot here wishes to spend some time away from the Castle. Tell her that he wishes to breathe the perfumes from Castle Town just for a while, and tell her that he wishes to spend some time with a good, old friend he's not seen in years." His gaze turned to meet Rusl's grin.

"But sir—!"

The elderly Auru placed a hand to stop Fallo from saying more. "She will understand, that lovely child. But these old bones are telling me that I have to try something new, something more that being the Royal Counselor..."


	4. Shad

**Shad**

"Fetch me my coat young lad."

He nodded without hesitation, or rather, without even thinking and hurried toward the place he had placed the visitor's old garment on their silly clothes-rack. The coat seemed so used and antique he questioned himself as to why this person wanted to keep on wearing that thing. Seriously, with that rank he could obviously buy enough coats to keep himself warm for his remaining life instead. But no. Mister Royal Counselor preferred going around Castle Town showing people his reminder of what used to be a coat.

He would have asked him himself if he preferred on selling it, but doing so would make him seem rude (even if he was) and would get him and his Father in trouble with their superiors. His Father could even go back to working as a butler if he either uttered one word that was out of their place. Or (in his case) out of his role as the "coat-fetcher". They were definitely not going back to earning naught but 10 measly rupees a day. So... being a "coat-fetcher" wasn't as bad as being the shoe polisher from Chuggly's snobby shop at Central Square. This would have to do.

"Hurry boy! I've got an urgent meeting in a few minutes back at the Castle. Wouldn't want to be late, ey?" The stranger laughed at his own, bad joke and winked down at the young boy dragging the old coat. Next to the visitor stood a tall guy, brunette, and blue-eyed who glanced down at the little boy and with his expression gave him signs that he was dirtying the garment. The youngster, quickly realizing his error took the piece of fabric carefully and carried it with godly caution to his owner's raisin hands.

"I'm sorry sir," he babbled.

The elderly visitor clicked his tongue and placed one arm around the boy's tiny shoulders "It's okay lad. This old piece of skin needs a wash already anyway." He squeezed the boy's shoulders in a reassuring manner and placed the garment around his own, tall shoulders.

The boy kept looking down. He felt ashamed of himself. Back to shoe polishing it is then, he said to himself.

He visitor turned to the second adult and joined hands with him. "Well, Sir Books, it was a pleasure making business with you. I'll see you at the Royal Library then." He smiled warmly and seemed so friendly that the young boy almost fell for his kindness. His Father quickly did though. Books beaming with joy guided the elderly man to the exit of their crowded apartment and once he shut the door, the young boy was wise enough to speak.

"He couldn't be any more obvious than that, Father."

The adult smiled back at his frowning kid, "Seriously. Do you still not believe him?"

"Do I have a right to speak my opinions now that I'm not a shoe polisher but a royal 'coat-fetcher'?"

Books simply laughed at his statement. "Do as you wish Shad."

"I don't trust that guy. He's just too..."

"Convincing, gentle, funny, helpful, mild. You name it." Replied the adult as he took two glasses from a counter above a book-crowded desk. Then he poured a red liquid on the container right and milk on the left.

"... false."

"Name it as you wish, Son, but now I'll finally receive permit from the Royal Council to continue my investigation on the Sky People with the books from their library. I'm sure more clues can be found there." He took a sip from his whisky, his eyes shimmering with passion on that subject.

"He hasn't even asked them about it Father. That's the meeting he's going to right now."

"True. But I'm sure good ol' Auru is good enough to persuade those nosey, stock-up congressmen to allow me to check on their old books. Seriously, I doubt that they have even laid one eye on their pages oh so full mystery, adventure, and lore!"

The young boy sighed as he took his glass of milk, "Father, you're letting it get to yourself again."

Books snickered embarrassed, "I'm sorry. I can't handle it. It's just that I'm too excited. Finally our hard work is paying off! Our dream is coming to us!"

"...Your dream."

"I'm sorry, my dream." He corrected, not surprised by his child's response. No flattery for the child huh? Boy, was sarcasm taking the better of him. He passed a slim finger across the glass's surface and the vibration and pressure he placed unto the glass created small ripples to form on the stinking, crimson liquid's surface and a tinkling sound reverberated from the container.

The adult stared down at the young boy who was playing tediously with the remaining milk inside his own glass. He looked back at his drink and smiled. "Now's not the time to be worried about our conditions, how about a toast?"

"For what...?" muttered the kid, adjusting his enormous glasses.

"For us and for our future," replied Books leaned toward his son with a ginger smile and stretched his glass toward the boy's.

The youngster smiled shyly back at him and held out his own container, "For us."

"And for the Sky Beings!"


	5. Link

**Link**

"It hurts..."

It did. His heart ached. He moaned in pain as he threw himself deeper within the sanctuary made by the blankets. He cuddled himself around the soft fabric and tried to hide himself from the sight of any outsider, from any stranger. He wanted to see no one at the moment. Hell, he wished he was actually blind. Everywhere he looked he saw _it_. He saw that what he was missing but knew he couldn't gain. His heartbeats quickened, his pulse was rushing, and his eyes were tearing. He clenched the covers with fury and kicked his legs wherever he could. Now he could bring it all out. Everything he kept sunken inside him was now coming out. He kicked harder and bit his lower lip to try and keep the sobs to himself. The tears didn't stop. They flowed easily out of his sky-blue eyes and soaked his cheeks. They were drowning him. The pain was killing him and his heart beat only by one half. The other half was missing and he would never find it again. The heart was not going to beat completely anymore. Even if the years mended a few pieces, the whole was just an impossible.

He peeked from outside the covers to see if all had passed. For a moment he was hesitant to do so and cursed. And he beared the power of Courage... finding himself in those conditions seemed to be spit at his own role and to all his heroic deeds. He looked pathetic but he couldn't help it. Humans weren't perfect, only the Goddesses. He had learned by himself that they were cruel and vengeful. They gave power to those who didn't want it and all of a sudden, when it was most needed they took away. Curse them and curse this power. Curse it all that I had to meet her! Curse it that I grew to love her!

His eyes glanced from outside his white haven and met the glistening and melancholic colors of twilight. He quickly covered his face from the oranges and the goldens. More tears slipped from his eyes, attempting to drown him in his own agony.

"Curse it...!"


End file.
